Line-finder for stenographersii use



h UNITEn-ST TEs PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW -ammo AND WILLIAM sumo, or nosrox, imsstcnossrrsy' LINE-FINDERFOR STENO'GRAPHERS USE'v IZFIZCITE :CATION Application filed July 24,1835.

To all whom) it may concern:

Be it known that we, ANDREW Nnmo and YVILLIAM NIMMO, citizens of GreatBritain, residing at Boston, in the county of SutTolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a Line-Finder, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in line-finders forsteuographers, and it is carried out as follows, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 represents a side elevation,and Fig. 2 represents a' front=elevation, of the apparatus. Fig. 3represents a detail view of the pedal by which the indicator is worked.

Similar Ictters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on thedifi'erent parts of the drawings. v

In inakinga long-hand copy from shorthand, or vice versa, or for makingany other kind of copying, it is desirable to.use a line-finder adaptedto be adjusted line for line as the copying proceeds, and thus set-vetofind the line copied from with the greatest ease and without loss oftime. For this purpose we have constructed our invention, as follows: R-G S is a standard or support, of-any desirable form, to the upper end ofwhich is secured the inclined plate or book-rest A, having attached toits upper end a suitable bar or clip, F, for holding the leaves of thebook or manuscript to be copied from in position. Through the book-restA is made a slot, B, in which the block B is guided and permitted totravel up and down. To the block B is attached, above the plate A, thehorizontal indicator or line-finder C, as shown, and this is made tomove with the block B. To that portion of block B which projects belowthe plate Ais hinged the pawl I, the lower end of which engages in theteeth of the ratchet-bar E, and is normally'held in contact therewith bymeans ofa small spring, J. (Shown in Fig. 1.) The ratchet-bar E issupported and made to slide in the guides O and 0", secured to the underside of plate A, and is normally drawn up ward to its highest positionby the influence of a spring, H, secured to the upper end of ratchet-barE, and to a projection, 0, attached to the under side of the upper endof plate A, as shown in Fig. 1. The downward motion of i ratchet-bar Eis limited each time by means of forming-part of Letters Patent No.332.410, dated December 15, 1885.

Serial No. 17233]. (No model.)

the adjustable stop K coming in contact with Y the lower guide, 0", asshown in Fig. 1. Said stop K is made adj ustablc on the ratchet-bar E,according to thehorizontal distance bejusted it-is firmly secured inplace on the ratchet-bar E by means of the set-screw L, as shown inFig. 1. To the lower end of the ratchet-bar E is attached a running overa pulley, M, that isjournaled in tween each line on the copy, and whenso adcord or strap, N,

a bearing, M', securcd to the under side of on plate A relative to thelines on the copy resting on the latter, either in commencing workon anew page or during any portiouof the work, as the case may be, we employa. thumb'piece or button, D, passing through block B, and having itslower end attached to the pawl-piece I, as'shown in Fig. 1, and thus bysimply pressing on button D the lower end of pawl I is raised out of theteeth on ratchetbar B, when the block B and line finder orindicator Cmay be moved up or downon table or plate A to any desired desired.

The operation is as follows: After the book or manuscript has beensecured to the plateA by means of clip F or other suitable fasteningdevice, we press the button D downward, by which the pawl I isdisengaged from ratchetbar E and move the block B upward, so that theindicator 0 shall come to the desired line for commencing the work. ThestopK isthen secured by means of sct-screwLto the ratchetbar E at thedesired distance fro'mguide 0'", equal to the distance between thesuccessive lines on the copy. Alter one line has been copied theoperator depresses treadle P, causing the ratchet-bar E to be drawndownward against the influence of spring l-I until the stop K comesinco'utact with guideO', and'during such motion of ratchet-bar E,by'ineans of theposition, as may be pawl I, the block B iscarrieddownward-suificiently to bring the line-finder G to the next line on thecopy, after which-the operator releases his foot-pressure ou thetread-1e I, when the spring H will draw the ratchet-bar E up to itsnormal position,'and during such upward motion of ratchet-bar E the pawlI will pass freely by the teeth of said ratchetbar, causing the block Band line-finder C to remain in the position left; by the previousdownward motion of the ratchetbar E, andso on. \Vlien the indicatorO hastraveled to the lowest line on the book or manuscript copied from, a-newleaf is turned, the button I) depressed, and the block B and'indieatorCmoved upward to the desired position for commencing work, and thesuccessive operations for feeding the line-finder C downward continued,as above described.

\Vhat we wish to secure by Letters Patent and claim is 1. Theherein-desci ibed line-finder, consisting of the stationary rest A.having slot-B for the movable block B, to which is attached the i in thetoothed ratchet-bar E, the latter being guided in the parts 0" 0", andoperated by,

means of treadle P and strap N against the influence of spring H, andprovided with the adjustable stop K, as and for, the purpose setforth.

2. In a line-finder, the stationary plate A,

the block 13, movable thereon, with indicator 0 attached to it, andhaving pawl 1, spring J, and pressbntton D, as described, combinedindicator c; said block having hinged to it; the pawl I,with spring J,and adapted to engage with the reciprocatory ratchet-bar E, foroperating the bloekrB and its indicator 0, substantially as and for thepurpose set "forth. v DREW .NIM'MQ' iVitnesse-s:

SAMUEL A. BROWN,

i). I. MQINTIRE. x

I LIAM sumo,

